In this newsletter: major news about new directions, some vintage puzzles for sale and a downloadable checklist to help other people select puzzles for you.

The New:

We got a laser!

Don’t worry, I will continue to hand cut custom puzzles. You’ll have to pry that scroll saw out of my cold, dead arthritic hands. The laser is simply an expansion of our business. Han has been testing different settings and materials and will run production of the laser cut puzzles. I already have a couple of cut designs in the testing phase.

This is a test cut for an Infinity Community Puzzle, inspired by the Community Puzzle I hand cut for Puzzle Jam South this year. It is designed for people to paint each piece and sign the back. Groups can order as large a puzzle as they need by ordering one, two or three units since each unit fits together. Or a family can order one every year and add onto the section they painted the year before as a way to mark the changes in the family. Each unit is 72 pieces.

The Old:

I have 4 vintage puzzles for sale. I’ll eventually make a space on my website to sell antique puzzles, but you can just message me for now and then PayPal or Venmo me. Prices include US shipping.

Mystery Puzzle

I started to assemble this one, but never bothered to finish.

“Center of Attraction” 461 pieces. Unknown maker. Note that came with the puzzle pictured here.

$110

Winter Scene

Schreiner’s “De Luxe” Jig Saw Puzzles from Pasadena, CA, likely cut in the 1940s.

This has one broken piece that someone glued to another piece. Other than that, it is in good condition. Original box but I can’t read the original title. It has 553 pieces by my count. Puzzle is complete.

From a cutter’s perspective, it has interesting corners.

$150

Pastime Puzzle

This puzzle was in great condition. The box was NOT! I reinforced the box and made a new lid. All that remains of the lid fits inside the box. Puzzle is complete. Lined the box with muslin.

“Iowan Landscape with Cattle”

300 pieces. 30 figure pieces. This is the only puzzle I’ve seen where the cutter repeated figure pieces. Push fit. Color line cutting

1916-1917

$200

Pastime Puzzle

“Love and Springtime” had 3 connectors that needed repair and the box required reinforcing. Puzzle is complete. Lined box with muslin.

300 pieces. 22 figure pieces.

Not quite push fit, but while the wood fits tightly, the connectors aren’t designed for a tight fit. Color line cutting.

1910-1915. It’s very faint, but it looks like 13-10-9 is written on the label inside the lid, suggesting 1913.

$200

The following 2 photos show the 3 connectors I repaired.

Puzzle Selection Checklist

If you like puzzles, I’m sure people who do not work puzzles have given you puzzles as gifts. While well-intentioned, if they don’t work puzzles often, it’s hard for them to know what makes a good puzzle for you. Just because you like cats does not mean you want a puzzle of a wicker basket full of furry kittens! My mom and my aunt have both experienced this, so I developed this checklist to help their sons shop for them. You can download it, fill it out and give it to the people who buy puzzles for you so you don’t feel like you have to work that lovely puzzle of a blue ocean under a cloudless blue sky. It is also intended to help people reflect on what they like and don’t like in a puzzle, even if you don’t give it to someone. Note that this is a black and white version of the checklist that also appears under publications on the Puzzle Jam Inc. website.

From the Garden

We ate the last ripe tomatoes from our garden this weekend. It’s hard to remember that it dropped into the 20s when we’re sitting around in short sleeves with the windows open now.